


on building a foundation (a story from floor 6)

by everythingFangirl



Series: when I'm with you, I can only be me (stories from the victors' tower) [3]
Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Lunch Club, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hunger Games Setting, Fanfiction of Fanfiction, Friendship, Gen, i am going backwards chronologically whooooooosh, time is an illusion folks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:46:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23841715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/everythingFangirl/pseuds/everythingFangirl
Summary: It takes a moment for Quackity - Alex - to hug him back, but he does. In that moment, Noah realizes two things.The first is that this boy will likely be his only companion for the next year.The second is that he could get used to it.
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s), shippers please cease
Series: when I'm with you, I can only be me (stories from the victors' tower) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1715008
Comments: 20
Kudos: 98
Collections: victors' tower canon works





	on building a foundation (a story from floor 6)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [WreakingHavok](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WreakingHavok/gifts).



> Me: No! You can’t just keep writing spontaneous one-shots, you have to work on your bigger projects! 
> 
> Also me: hehehe hunger games printer go brrrrrrr
> 
> I should note that I'll never write about the events of the Games themselves, nor will I describe any graphic violence or include any shipping. But as always, if I cross any boundaries or make anyone involved uncomfortable, I will take this down.
> 
> EDIT January 5th 2021: Replaced CallMeCarson with Quackity, as well as some other additions and edits. (if this seems like an incredibly strange character combination, that's why.)

In District Three, a ‘hugbox’ is a slang term for a type of cloaking device they manufacture, the kind that conceals the Capitol’s hovercrafts. It had also been Noah’s nickname for as long as he could remember, from his uncanny skill to go almost completely unnoticed. He was good at not being picked to answer questions in class, good at not being chosen over his siblings to do chores, and awful at making friends. But of course, on the only day where not being noticed would have really mattered, he failed.

Still, when nobody stepped forward to volunteer for the thirteen-year-old, it was something of a surprise.

Being hidden had been useful in the Arena, of course. Now, when Noah is going up in an elevator approaching floor 6 of the Victor’s Tower, two peacekeepers at his back, he wishes he could just disappear into the walls again. He doesn’t know what he will find when he arrives, and apprehension has settled in the bottom of his stomach.

A year ago, Noah had idolized Quackity.

He had only been an impressionable child. Despite what everyone around Noah had told him about the Games, seeing a boy his own age rising through their ranks against all odds had been thrilling. He had followed the course of Quackity’s Games, celebrated his victory, and did his best to keep up with his content in the following year. Noah’s family hadn’t been able to afford Twitch, but he had tried his best to keep up with Quackity’s videos on YouTube, then snuck down to their aging computer in the basement and tried to edit his own. There was something in Quackity personality, despite all the meddling of the Capitol and the glossy coat of paint they had presented him in, that still seemed genuine.

Now, though, when Noah has seen exactly what Quackity must have been through, how he must feel, he doesn’t know what to think anymore.

~

Noah prides himself on being good at noticing things. And the first thing he notices about the 60th Victor is that he looks a lot smaller up close. 

Well, of course he would. Without the pedestal the Capitol places him on, the careful camera angles and painted smiles, truly coming eye-to-eye with someone like that would be jarring in any case. There’s no suits this time, no shifting red fabrics, no crown of golden feathers, no flame - today, the phoenix of floor 6 is just a boy, beanie pulled low over his hair, dark circles under his eyes. His smile’s still bright, his back still straight, he still holds himself like a king as he clutches the golden card they’ve given him. But Noah prides himself on noticing things, and the second thing he notices is that Quackity’s hands are shaking.

“You must be Hugbox.” Despite his cheery tone, the words are stilted and obviously not Quackity’s own.

“It’s Noah,” he responds tentatively. “And you’re Quackity, right?”

“Yeah. What District are you from?”

As a mentor, Quackity must have followed the games along with everyone else, so he should already know. Noah still answers, “Three.”

“Okay. Well, welcome to floor 6, your home away from home.” He exhales, and the sudden shift in his mannerisms is almost jarring. As the gold card flutters to the ground, his shoulders curve inward, and his smile drops to a resigned frown. “Sorry, this is the first time I’m doing this,” he says quietly. “Not really used to it yet.”

“That’s okay.” Whatever Noah had expected from this conversation, that certainly wasn’t it. After a moment of awkward silence, he asks, “Can you show me where my room is?”

“Yeah.”

They walk through the echoing hallway, Quackity pointing out the purpose of rooms here and there. From the glimpses Noah gets when they pass, every single one of them looks unused. His own bedroom is the worst offender. It looks about as far from homely as he could possibly imagine, with fancy-looking furniture and bright lights and no windows to speak of.

When he steps inside, staring at his surroundings and tossing his bag onto the bed, Quackity remains awkwardly standing in the doorway. Noah’s about to thank him when he hears the sniffling.

When he turns around, the 60th Victor of the Hunger Games is crying. He futilely tries to wipe away the tear running down his cheek, but Noah can see the slight quivering of his lip and the shaking of his shoulders.

“Sorry,” Quackity says, struggling to control his breathing. “It’s just… it’s been a while since I’ve seen anybody.”

Of course. Quackity has been up here, alone, for a full year. Noah couldn’t even imagine what that must have been like. He doesn’t know how to respond, doesn’t know what could make the situation better, so he just stays silent. For an awkward moment, he just stands there, facing one of the most celebrated people in Panem - finally realizing fully just how wrong this all is.

They’re only thirteen. They’re only fucking thirteen.

“Can I hug you?”

That catches Noah off guard. Before he can respond, Quackity’s already shrinking backwards, as if he regretted asking in the first place. When Noah steps forward and pulls him into an awkward embrace, he doesn’t really know why. (Maybe it’s out of kindness or pity; maybe it’s because he’d been so starved for a hug himself.)

It takes one breathless moment for Quackity to hug him back. But he does. 

“Alex,” the boy murmurs shakily into Noah’s shoulder.

“Hm?”

“Please call me Alex.”

“Okay.”

Alex’s arms squeeze just a little tighter around him, and Noah finds himself beginning to smile. 

In that moment, he realizes two things. The first is that Alex will likely be his only companion for the next year.

The second is that he could get used to it.

~

And eventually, he does. But not without some difficulty.

Noah barely struggles through the welcoming ceremony. His anger at the Capitol bubbles to the surface of his thoughts more prominently than it ever has since he’s left the Arena, but every time he’s on the verge of breaking character, every time he feels like just running away, Alex’s eyes find his from the audience and he keeps going. When it’s Alex’s turn to be up on the stage, Noah tries his best to do the same for him.

Afterwards, it’s tempting to just go back to isolation, to not being noticed. For some time, Noah does; after about a week, though, he realizes he doesn’t want to be alone here. The floor is built to house ten adults, not two children, and the tall ceilings and wide hallways and the sound of his own voice echoing back to him make him feel impossibly small. He would bet anything that Alex feels the same way.

So slowly, Noah starts making an effort. He goes out for mealtimes, realizes Alex isn’t that good of a cook, and helps him out. Noah’s helped out his mother with cooking before, so he does his best to remember some of the recipes, and together with Alex they manage to make something surprisingly edible.

“Mm. Could be better.”

“Hey, it was your fault that we left it in the oven for too long.”

“Oh, so you think you could have done this better by yourself?”

“Surely.”

“...Yeah, you’re probably right.” Alex laughs, disproportionately to how funny the situation is, but his cheerfulness is infectious. Noah finds himself smiling.

Noah learns Alex likes video games. Like, genuinely. Not just because he’s mandated by the Capitol to stream something, but just because it’s fun. The day Alex first brings it up in conversation, Noah thinks he can physically see him brightening up, as he talks for what feels like hours about the topic. He doesn’t mind listening.

“So yeah, for me the most fun part of playing games is doing it with somebody else, you know? If I hadn’t found the multiplayer ones, I probably wouldn’t be gaming at all. I’ve played some online things with the guys from floor 5, but it’s not really the same, but now you’re here, so we can do other stuff! Oh, there’s this one game…”

Alex teaches Noah about streaming, and is pleasantly surprised to learn he’s already somewhat familiar with editing. Noah doesn’t expect to enjoy his first stream with Alex, but with his enthusiastic banter and easy laughter, it’s almost… fun. That day, he also learns just how genuine Alex’s online persona actually is.

“Oh, you fucking suck!”

“I will make you do the dishes for the next month, boy.”

Every time Alex laughs, Noah finds it just a little easier to laugh with him.

They take small steps, sure. But every single one seems to matter. The first time Alex joins him in the common room, hair finally free from that beanie he never seems to take off; the first time Alex leads him to the balcony, and they spend what feels like hours pointing out the ridiculous fashions of the passers-by; the first time Alex walks into Noah’s room to see him on the verge of tears, and instead of awkwardly closing the door, sits on the bed beside him. That day, his presence is comfort enough.

Little by little, slowly but surely, they begin to build something out of the rubble of their lives that the Games left behind. With time, tentative trust turns to genuine friendship, and while the nightmares never quite leave, it’s a little easier to keep the darkness at bay.

Noah can only hope that the foundation they’ve built will be strong enough to support those who will come next.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sure about the canonicity of this because it's not in my main series, but if this breaks the canon of the AU or goes against the plan for it, then let me know and I can make edits.
> 
> Huh, now if someone writes a Ted-centric fic for this AU we'll have something for all of the boys.


End file.
